“The God of Israel spoke. The Rock of Israel said to me: ‘The one who rules righteously, who rules in the fear of God, is like the light of morning at sunrise, like a morning without clouds, like the gleaming of the sun on new grass after rain.’”
(2 Samuel 23:3-4NLT)
Whew! Thank goodness that is over!
I’m writing to you the morning after the election, and the telephone has been blissfully silent. Some folks are rejoicing because their side won; others are hunkering down for a long four years.
There are times when good government is essential to society, and other times when it seems like government just gums up the works. As cowboy-comedian Will Rogers used to say, “Just be glad you’re not getting all the government you’re paying for!”
When King David lay dying, he shared the reflection quoted in our scripture above. David was the least of the least, a humble shepherd boy, when he was chosen and anointed to become king of Israel by God. David did many things well, but he also sinned and failed when he slept with Bathsheba and arranged the death of her husband.
So David spoke with wisdom when he said, “The one who rules righteously, who rules in the fear of God, is like the light of morning at sunrise… like the gleaming of the sun on new grass after rain.”
With the election behind us, we pray for our leaders that they rule righteously, and that the sunshine of hope may gleam through the clouds that have shrouded America’s dreams.
In some ways, it doesn’t make too much difference who won. God is the ultimate power in the world, and our political leaders are at best servants of the Almighty and of God’s people, as David served God and the people of Israel.
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, said in 1774, “I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them, 1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy: 2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against: And, 3. To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.”
We have accomplished the first. Now we are challenged to tackle the second and third. Especially, do not let your spirits be sharpened against your friends and neighbors who may honestly disagree with you in political convictions.
This is a time for prayer in our country, prayer that we may truly be a nation under God. The role of the church is not to control society, but to influence society. Martin Luther King Jr. said this well: “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but the conscience of the state.”
In this season of thanksgiving, we have much to be thankful for. Give thanks that we live in a country where we have a real choice in leaders, many of whom are godly men and women who are doing their best. Give thanks that we enjoy freedom of religion and freedom of speech. And especially give thanks that ultimately we serve a God who is the true power over the world, the power over all earthly authorities, who sees the best in all of us, who serves and saves us, and who guides us forward in Christian unity.
Pastor Park